Lomé, the capital of Togo, hosted a meeting of African Union (AU) co-facilitators on Saturday, May 17, 2025, to address the ongoing crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The meeting, presided over by Togolese Council President Faure Gnassingbé, sought to align strategies for restoring peace and stability in the Great Lakes region.
Several former heads of state, mandated by the AU to mediate the conflict, participated in the meeting. These included Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria), Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Mokgweetsi Masisi (Botswana), Catherine Samba-Panza (Central African Republic), and Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia). Discussions centered on coordinating efforts to achieve an African-led solution to the crisis between the DRC and Rwanda, while also considering initiatives already undertaken by other regional and international actors.
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Participants emphasized the importance of greater coherence among the various approaches being pursued. They highlighted the need to strengthen cooperation with regional organizations, such as the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as well as with external partners like Qatar and the United States.
Faure Gnassingbé’s appointment as the AU’s designated mediator on April 12 followed the resignation of Angolan President João Lourenço from the role. Gnassingbé is tasked with restarting peace talks between the DRC and Rwanda, amidst ongoing conflicts involving the armed group, the March 23 Movement (M23), which Kinshasa accuses of collaborating with Kigali.
